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LHD 3 | USS KEARSARGE

Namesake:

Kearsarge Mountain, NH

USS KEARSARGE (LHD 3) is the fourth ship in the history of the U.S.
Navy named for Kearsarge Mountain in New Hampshire. Previous ships
named KEARSARGE include a Civil War-era sloop of war famous for
defeating CSS ALABAMA; a turn-of-the-century battleship that sailed as
part of President Theodore Roosevelt's "Great White Fleet;" and an
aircraft carrier, known internationally for its part in the Project
Mercury space program. KEARSARGE is only one of two United States ship
names mandated by Congress to be used more than once.

Mission:

USS KEARSARGE's principal mission is the embarkation, deployment,
landing and support of a Marine landing force anywhere in the world.
Serving as an Expeditionary Strike Group flagship, KEARSARGE commands
and supports elements of a Marine Expeditionary Unit, in an assault by
air and sea as well as command and support of all ships and submarines
of the Expeditionary Strike Group.

KEARSARGE can also provide command and control and aircraft facilities
for sea control missions while operating with a Carrier Strike Group.
The ship's extensive medical facilities and berthing capabilities
enable it to provide effective care to returning troops under battle
conditions, or disaster relief in support of humanitarian missions
during peacetime.

KEARSARGE can support up to 600 patients while still providing routine
care to crewmembers and embarked troops. The LHD Class is second only
to the Navy's ready-reserve hospital ships USNS COMFORT and USNS MERCY
in medical support capability. Major medical facilities include four
main and two emergency operating rooms, four dental operating rooms,
x-ray facilities, a blood bank, laboratories and intensive care ward
facilities. Elevators rapidly transfer patients from casualty
collection areas on the flight deck and in the hangar bay.

For the comfort of her crew and embarked troops, all manned spaces and
berthing areas are individually heated and air-conditioned. Crew and
troop berthing are on the same deck with messing, lounge, ship's store
and library facilities nearby. In addition to the library, on board
recreation is supported by a fully equipped gym, lounges and closed
circuit TV for the broadcast of movies, news and television
programming. Each Sailor and Marine is also afforded personal email
addresses and most have access to the internet.

In carrying out its primary mission, the 844 foot long, 40,500 ton
KEARSARGE will transport and land ashore not only troops, but also the
tanks, trucks, other vehicles, artillery, ammunition and other supplies
necessary to fully support the assault. The assault support system
aboard ship coordinates horizontal and vertical movement of troops,
cargo and vehicles.

Monorail trains, moving at speeds up to 600 feet-per-minute, transport
cargo and supplies from storage and staging areas throughout the ship
to a 13,600-square foot well deck, which opens to the sea through the
huge gates in the ship's stern. There, the cargo, as well as troops and
vehicles, are loaded aboard landing craft for transport to the beach.
Air Cushioned Landing Craft (LCAC) can "fly" out of the dry well deck,
or the well deck can be ballasted down with as much as 10 feet of water
inside the well, allowing conventional landing craft such as the LCU,
LARC or Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV) to enter or depart the well.

Simultaneously, the ship's air traffic control capability supports
helicopter flights to the beach to transfer troops, cargo and vehicles
brought to the flight deck by two deck-edge e;evators and three cargo
elevators, while directing close air tactical support provided by
embarked jet aircraft and a full range of helicopters, as well as the
Harrier Vertical/Short Take Off and Landing (V/STOL) jets can conduct
simultaneous operations from the ship's 819 foot flight deck. The ship
has also received upgrades to support the V-22 Osprey, a tilt-rotor
aircraft used for troop and supply movement. KEARSARGE also has a full
maintenance and support capability for aircraft, amphibious vehicles
and ships in company.

The ship's assault package also includes a wide variety of weapon and
electronic systems. The integration of intelligence systems, tactical
data links and various onboard computer Local Area Networks ensures the
most up-to-date and comprehensive tactical picture yet available to
embarked units in support of the missions of the embarked Marine
components.

Two steam propulsion plants - the largest currently in use in the U.S.
Navy, delivering a combined 70,000 horsepower, propel the ship through
the water at speeds in excess of 24 knots. Electrical generators aboard
provide more than 16,000 kilowats of power to shipboard systems -
enough power to light 13,500 homes.

Two pumping stations give KEARSARGE a 450,000 gallon fueling capacity
for embarked aircraft, other vehicles and ships in company. Onboard
distilling plants provide up to 200,000 gallons of fresh water each
day. Her 1,500 tons of air conditioning equipment is sufficient to
environmentally control a 32-story office building. KEARSARGE also
carries state-of-the-art environmental protection equipment including a
plastic refuse processing system.

LHDs are the first U.S. Navy ships designed specifically to accommodate
Air Cushioned Landing Craft (LCACs), Harriers and V-22 Ospreys. The
over-the-horizon ability of the LCAC to provide high-speed
ship-to-shore and over-the-beach amphibious support in transporting
personnel, weapons systems and equipment offers the U.S. Navy and
Marine Corps team a new dimension in projecting combat strength ashore.
LCACs enable KEARSARGE to support combat forces ashore at increased
stand-off distances to hard landing points beyond the beach. The LCACs
high speed, greater than 40 knots, provides reduced exposure time and
multi-beach attack capability.

The AV/8B Harrier's ability to take off and land vertically on
virtually any firm surface makes the aircraft a perfect addition to the
KEARSARGE assault package. The primary role of the ship's embarded jets
is to provide close air support for ground units. The can also be used
for sea control and prtection of the Expeditionary Strike Group.

Like the AV/8B Harrier, the V-22 Osprey's tilt-rotor design gives it
the ability to take off and land vertically on virtually any relatively
flat surface. It performs vertical take-off and landing missions as
effectively as a conventional helicopter while also having the
long-range cruise abilities of a twin turboprop aircraft.

Historical
Notes:

Launched
on March 26, 1992, she was christened KEARSARGE on Saturday, May 16,
1992, at Ingalls Shipbuilding by Mrs. Alma Powell, wife of General
Colin L. Powell, USA former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and
Secretary of State. USS KEARSARGE joined the fleet October 16, 1993
during commissioning ceremonies in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and is home
ported in Norfolk, Virginia.

KEARSARGE departed for her maiden deployment on March 22, 1995.
KEARSARGE served as the primary platform for the rescue of Air Force
Captain Scott O'Grady after he was shot down over Bosnia.

After the deployment, KEARSARGE served as the primary Navy unit
participating in the 1995 New York City Veteran's Day activities, which
marked our nation's final tribute to the 50th Anniversary of the end of
World War II.

KEARSARGE began her second deployment on April 15, 1997. She relieved
USS Nassau (LHA 4) on station off the coast of the Democratic Republic
of the Congo (formerly Zaire) in support of Operation Guardian
Retrieval on May 2, 1997. KEARSARGE was later directed to Freetown,
Sierra Leone to conduct Noncombatant Evacuation Operations in support
of Operation Noble Obelisk. On May 31, she began evacuating American
citizens and foreign nationals from Sierra Leone. During the four-day
operation, KEARSARGE evacuated more than 2,500 Americans and foreign
nationals from more than 40 countries.

On April 17, 1999, KEARSARGE embarked on its third deployment.
Performing a turnover with the NASSAU ARG while underway, KEARSARGE
made best speed to the Adriatic Sea where she performed various
operations off the coast of Kosovo, including Operation Noble
Anvil/Allied Force and establishment of Camp Hope in Fier, Albania. On
June 7, Operation Joint Guardian began. The 26th Marine Expeditionary
Unit, Special Operations Capable (SOC), was offloaded June 10 across
Litokhoron Beach, Greece, for movement to Skopje, Macedonia. These U.S.
Marines were the first peacekeeping force to enter Kosovo. Immediately
following, KEARSARGE was ordered to Izmit, Turkey to provide support
after the nation experienced a devastating earthquake that killed
12,000 people.

On April 25, 2001, KEARSARGE began its fourth deployment, where the
ship hosted the annual USO Gala in Naples, Italy, participated in
several large amphibious operations (Trident D'Or, Alexander the Great
and Albanian PHIBLIEX), and provided support to the President of the
United States during the G8 Summit in Genoa, Italy. On September 11,
2001, KEARSARGE was underway in the Mediterranean Sea as the World
Trade Centers and Pentagon were attacked by terrorists. During this
deployment, KEARSARGE visited 12 ports in seven different countries.
KEARSARGE returned home on October 15, 2001.

On January 8, 2002, KEARSARGE entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard for a
four-month Planned Maintenance Availability that ended on April 25th
that year. In July, KEARSARGE made a port visit to Boston to
participate in the annual Harborfest celebration over the 4th of July.
On October 10th, KEARSARGE participated in a unique exercise in the
Gulf of Mexico to prove a new capability of the multipurpose amphibious
assault ship - to support mine sweeping capabilities.

On January 12, 2003, with only 72 hours notice, KEARSARGE was deployed,
in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. It was the ship's fifth
deployment. Serving as the Flagship for Rear Admiral Nowakowski,
Commander, Amphibious Task Force East, and Brigadier General Richard
Natonski, Commanding General Second Marine Expeditionary Brigade (2D
MEB) and Landing Force East, KEARSARGE carried more than 1,700 Marines
from the 2D MEB to the Northern Arabian Gulf. KEARSARGE later became
the Flagship for Commodore Gregg Jackson, Commander Amphibious Squadron
Eight.

On February 14th, KEARSARGE began off-loading the 2D MEB at Kuwait
Naval Base. They joined up with Marines from the 1 MEB to become Task
Force Tarawa. On March 20th hostilities commenced, the name of the
engagement was changed to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Task Force
Tarawa crossed in Iraq and went to war. KEARSARGE remained off the
coast of Iraq flying combat re-supply missions employing the CH-53E
helicopters attached to the Condors of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron
Four Sixty-Four (HMH 464).

On the way home from that history combat deployment, KEARSARGE also
provided support to the President of the United States during his
visits to Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt and Aqaba, Jordan during his summits
with Arab leaders. Additionally, KEARSARGE was diverted from its
homecoming track to the western coast of Africa to support Operation
Shinning Express. KEARSARGE returned home on June 30, 2003.

In June 2004, following a four-month shipyard avalability, KEARSARGE
surge deployed to the Arabian Gulf to transport elements of the 24th
Marine Expeditionary Unit in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
KEARSARGE returned home in August 2004.

Following a four-month shipyard availability, KEARSARGE participated in
New York City’s Fleet Week, Boston Harborfest and PANAMAX
2006.

On July 30, 2007, KEARSARGE embarked on its eighth deployment as the
flagship for the KEARSARGE Strike Group with the Marines and Sailors of
the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable).
KEARSARGE enjoyed a successful sea-based operation in support of
Operation Sea Angel II in Bangladesh. KEARSARGE and the embarkd 22nd
MEU arrived on station in the Bay of Bengal for Humanitarian
Assistance/Disaster Relief efforts Thanksgiving Day after steaming over
3,000 miles in just under six days from off the coast of Africa. The
ship and her crew returned from deployment February 1, 2008.

KEARSARGE participated in New York City’s Fleet Week in May
of 2008.

On August 6, 2008, KEARSARGE deployed in support of Operation
Continuing Promise. The ship's crew, along with augment from The United
States Marine Corps, The United States Air Force, The United States
Army, The United States Coast Guard, The United States Public Health
Service, The Canadian Forces, and other multi-national forces and NGO's
provided medical, construction and humanitarian services to seven
Central, South, and Caribbean American countries (Panama, Columbia, the
Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Trinidad). The ship
also provided Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HA/DR)
operations in Haiti following four Atlantic hurricanes.

In January 2009, KEARSARGE entered Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) for
its first Dry Dock Planned Maintenance Availability (DPMA) since the
ship’s commissioning in 1993.

Ship's Crest:

Supporters:
The swords are crossed to denote cooperation and teamwork as well as
the combined combat mission of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

The Shield: Blue and gold
are colors
traditionally associated with the Navy and symbolize the sea and
excellence. The green chevron suggests Kearsarge Mountain. A green
peaked mountain in New Hampshire. The amphibious nature of the combat
operations of the present USS KEARSARGE is represented by green and
blue, alluding land and sea. The arrowheads, together with the white
chevronel which represents a shore line, allude to assault landings.
The stars commemorate the battle stars the third KEARSARGE received for
Korean War and Vietnam War service.

The
Crest: The wings symbolize the
aviation capabilities of both the present and the third KEARSARGE; they
are gold for the honor and achievement. The white anchor recalls the
round the world cruise of the second KEARSARGE of the Great White Fleet
in 1907 and denotes the naval prowess of the USS KEARSARGEs. The blue
and gray wavy bar highlights the Civil War service for the first USS
KEARSARGE.